Container



Nov. 22, 1955 w, A. PUGH, SR

CONTAINER Filed June 23, 1953 Fig.3

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United States Patent 2,724,536 CONTAINER William A. Pugh, Sr., Chicago, Ill. Application June 23, 1953, Serial No. 363,562 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-7) This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in containers, specifically beverage containers, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a container of this type which is equipped with a built in sipping straw, so that the contents thereof may be conveniently sipped without the use of separate straws.

Specifically, the invention concerns itself with containers such as bottles or cartons of milk, soft drinks, juices and similar beverages, and an important feature of the invention resides in the structural arrangement of the sipping straw which, in its entirety, is disposed in the container prior to use, so that it is preserved in a highly sanitary condition. However, when the contents of the container are to be consumed, the straw becomes readily accessible and available for sipping purposes.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its sanitary and convenient operation and in its adaptability to containers of various sizes and types.

With the above more important objects andfeatures in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational View thereof, partially broken away, so as to reveal its construction;

Figure 3 is a sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3--3 in Figure l, and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the invention embodied in a different form of a container.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the container designated generally by the reference character assumes the form of a conventional carton such as is used for milk or similar beverages, the same including a top 12 provided with the customary depressed well 14 having an opening 16 through which the contents of the container are to be dispensed.

The essence of novelty of the invention resides in the provision of a sipping straw which is designated generally by the reference character 18 and is built in the container, the sipping straw 18 consisting of a pair of longitudinally tapered, slidably telescoped sections 20, 22.

The inner section 20 has the upper end thereof disposed in the well 14 and provided with an outturned flange or lip 24, while the upper end of the outer section 22 is provided with an outturned flange or lip 26 underlying the top 12, more particularly, the well 14, so as to prevent the section 22 from becoming withdrawn from the container.

Moreover, it will be observed that by virtue of their longitudinal taper, the relatively large, lower end portion of the inner section 20 is engageable with the relatively small, upper end portion of the section 22, whereby the two sections are prevented from becoming separated.

A suitable washer 28 is positioned loosely on the section 20 under the flange or lip 24 and is disposed within the well 14, as shown.

Finally, it will be observed that a suitable, conventional closure flap 30 is hingedly connected at 32 to the upper surface of the top 12 and covers the well 14 when the.

straw section 20 is in its retracted position as shown i Figure 2.

When the contents of the container 10 are to be consumed, the closure flap 30 is simply swung to its open position as shown in Figure 1 and the inner section 20 is withdrawn upwardly and outwardly from the outer section 22 to facilitate sipping of the contents of the container through the straw. It is to be also observed that the washer 28 is loosely fitted on the section 20 and that the section 20 itself passes loosely through the opening 16, so as to provide a vent through which air from the atmosphere may enter the interior of the container to displace the outgoing liquid when the section 20 is with drawn.

When the section 20 is fully retracted, into telescoped position, and the closure flap 30 closed, said flap bears against the lip 24 to press said lip against the washer 28 so as to press the washer 28 against the bottom of the well 14 whereby to form a seal around the opening 16, all as shown in Figure 2, and preventing the beverage from leaking out of the container 10 through the opening 16 into the well 14 when the container 10 is shaken so as to cause splashing of the beverage in the container 10, or when the container is inverted.

In a modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure 4, the device is applied to a container in the form of a conventional bottle 40 having a removable top 42 provided with the aforementioned well 14. The structure of the well 14, the straw assembly 18 and the closure for the well is substantially the same as already described with respect to the embodiment 10, and if desired, the bottle may be equipped with the usual removable cap 44.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred emhodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A beverage container including a top having a depressed well provided with a bottom opening, a sipping 'icc , straw comprising telescopic inner and outer sections, the

outer section being confined in the container and the inner section extending through said opening into the well and being slidable in the outer section to project the inner section outwardly of said well and outer section and to retract said inner section inwardly of said well and outer section into telescoped position, said inner section extending loosely through said opening so that said opening admits air into the container when said inner section is projected, a washer in the well loose on said inner section for sliding on said inner section to seat on the bottom of the well, said inner section having an external circumferential outer end lip overlying and seating on said washer when said inner section is telescoped, and a closure flap for said well hinged to said top for closing movement against said lip to close the outer end of the inner section and press said lip against said washer, said lip when pressed against said washer pressing the washer against the bottom of the well whereby said lip and washer will form a seal around said opening when the inner section is telescoped and the flap closed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,052,307 Kennedy Aug. 25, 1936 2,175,735 Banks Oct. 10, 1939 2,392,479 Humbert Jan. 8, 1946 2,609,985 Reid et al. Sept. 9, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 598,612 Great Britain Feb. 23, 1948 

